1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to the field of crimpable electrical connectors having conductor grasping means in the ferrule portion thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical connectors having interiorly ridged or toothed crimpable ferrule portions are well known in the art and are variously employed to provide a connection to either insulated or uninsulated conductors inserted within the ferrule portion. The ridges or teeth are selectively contoured to penetrate the outer periphery or surrounding insulation of the conductor and engage the interior conductive portion thereof to provide increased electrical and mechanical engagement between the connector and the conductor. Examples of such prior art devices are generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,638 issued to Hammell; U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,698 issued to Keller; U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,627 issued to Sosinski and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,448 issued to Haitmanek and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention. The disposition of the conductor engaging ridges in an orientation substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the connector results in a penetration of the conductor in a series of transverse planes. Since the ridge heights are often designed to penetrate the conductor to a substantial depth relative to the diameter of the conductor as the ferrule is crimped thereabout, the conductor may thus be readily sheared or fractured along one or more transverse planes each defined by coincident portions of an associated ridge, thereby seriously damaging or in some case completely destroying the integrity of the electrical connection or joint. The herringbone pattern of ridges disclosed in the above mentioned Sosinski patent fails to avoid this problem since the alternating arrangement of obliquely angled ridge segments almost insures that at least two segments of a particular ridge will be in substantial coincidence with one another along a single transverse plane as the ferrule is crimped about the conductor, thereby effecting the shearing or fracturing condition noted above. Although the use of ridged ferrules to provide an elongate piercing or penetrating edge for improved electrical and mechanical connections is highly desirable, there is an increasing need for a ridged connector construction which will avoid the undesirable characteristics noted above.